26 September 2007

Budweiser Budvar

Region of Origin: Bohemia, Czech Republic

Style: Golden Lager

Alcohol Content: 4.0 abw (5.0 abv)

Ideal Serving Temperature: 48 F (9 C)

In the Czech Republic, only beers from Pilsen may use the name of that city. While they emphasize the hop, their similar, more southerly rivals from the brewing sity of Budweis lean towards a light, smooth maltiness. The city, on the Moldau River, began with a monastery and in the 1200s grew as a southern stronghold of the kingdom of Bohemia. Before trademarks, any brew mafe there would have been described as a "Budweiser" beer. Budweiser Burgerbrau, established in 1795, made the city's first lager in 1853. That brewery still operates. Budweiser Budvar came later, in 1895. By then, the German-American brewer Adolphus Busch was already making a "Budweiser" beer. Several other US brewers have in the past used the term Budweiser to describe their beers, but Busch's exclusive US rights to the name were eventually established beyond doubt. The Czech Budweiser beers are generally more assertive in flavor than their American namesake [that may be a bit of an understatement!], but not substantially higher in alcohol (taken from p. 89 of Great Beer Guide by Michael Jackson).